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Why Choose an AR-15 for Home Defense?

Posted
on June 21, 2016

According to FBI statistics, more than 6,600 home invasions occur in the United States each day — that’s approximately one invasion every 12 seconds. Many property owners choose to protect themselves and their loved ones by keeping a weapon within easy reach. While pistols and shotguns have been the preferred weapon of choice in many households, using an AR-15 for home defense continues to grow in popularity.

What Are the Benefits of an AR-15 for Home Defense?

There are many advantages to using an AR-15 for home defense instead of pistols and shotguns:

Accuracy: One common misconception is that a pistol is the most accurate weapon for home defense purposes. While it is true that you can quickly grab and aim a pistol, you are also more likely to miss your target. Shotguns are also notorious for their poor precision. The AR-15 offers several points of contact that provide greater stability when firing, and the barrel length can improve aiming. What’s more, the AR-15 provides greater accuracy if you need to fire at an intruder from a distance.

Accessibility: While you can easily store any weapon under a bed to keep it within easy reach, it will take time to grab and ultimately fire it. You can set up your AR-15 in a two-point sling in any location in your home, so it is always in the “ready to fire” position when you need it.

Recoil: Pistols, and especially shotguns, can produce significant recoil when firing, making them difficult to use in a stressful home defense situation. An AR-15, on the other hand, produces little to no recoil, which contributes to its accuracy and ease of use.

Capacity: FBI stats also reveal that home invasions often involve more than one assailant. A shotgun’s firing capacity is typically just a couple of rounds, while a handgun may hold up to 15 rounds. Additionally, some states have laws limiting magazine capacity to 10 rounds. When every round counts, you will want the ammo in your magazine to have more power and accuracy. An AR-15 self-defense rifle commonly utilizes the 5.56 NATO or 300 Blackout caliber bullets, which has excellent ballistic performance over most pistol calibers.

Safety: The last thing you want to have happen in a home invasion situation is to hit a family member or other innocent bystander. In addition to the greater accuracy, using an AR-15 home defense rifle gives you a high level of flexibility when choosing ammunition. If you live in close quarters with several people in the household, consider choosing a lower velocity/hollow point rounds designed for home defense to limit the risk of having errant rounds penetrate the walls in your home. A shotgun loaded with double-ought buckshot could blow a hole through a door or wall and strike an unintended target.

Considerations

While all types of weapons offer certain pros and cons in a home defense situation, perhaps the most important factor is to choose the gun you are most comfortable with having around your home and using. Moreover, whether you choose an AR-15 self-defense rifle or any other weapon, be sure to get proper training on how to use it effectively — and safely.

If you’re ready to have an AR-15 on hand for home defense, browse our selection of parts and other components at Wing Tactical today!